Sundays With Ingrid: Nigel

“I could get sick,” Brucie said on the bus ride home.

Someone snickered.

“What if I forged a note?” Brucie said. “With Adobe Photoshop I could make it look like a doctor’s—”

“Zip it, guy,” said the driver, Mr. Sidney, his BATTLE OF THE CORAL SEA cap slanted low over his eyes, like a ship captain in rough seas. Brucie zipped it; the other choice was walking the rest of the way, as Brucie had learned on the first day of school last year and then had to relearn again just last week.

Mr. Sidney stopped in front of Ingrid’s house.

“See you, petunia,” he said. Girls were petunia to Mr. Sidney, guys guy. Things must have been a lot different when he was growing up.

Ingrid stepped off the bus, started up the brick path to her house. Ninety-nine Maple Lane was the only place she’d ever lived. Not the biggest, newest, or fanciest house in the neighborhood, Riverbend, but there were lots of good things about it. Such as the breakfast nook in the kitchen with windows on three sides, where the family—Mom, Dad, Ingrid, and her brother, Ty, a freshman at Echo Falls High (home of the Red Raiders)—ate just about all their meals; and the living-room fireplace, the bricks set in zigzags that matched the brick patterns in the chimney and front walk, a nice touch in Ingrid’s opinion; and maybe most of all her bedroom at the back, overlooking the town woods—the smallest room in the house, excluding bathrooms, and the most peaceful.

Ingrid went around to the side, unlocked the mudroom door. Nigel ambled out.

“Hey, boy,” said Ingrid, reaching down to pat him.

Nigel loved to be patted, maybe his second favorite thing, next to food. But now he changed course, making a kind of slow-motion swerve that took him just out of reach of her hand.

“Nigel?”

Nigel, crossing the lawn, swiveled his head around in her direction, walking one way, looking another. He had a jowly face and tweedy sort of coat, just like Nigel Bruce who’d played Dr. Watson in the old black-and-white Sherlock Holmes movies; Ingrid, a lover of Sherlock Holmes, had them all on DVD. Her Nigel, like Dr. Watson, could be slow on the uptake. Unlike Dr. Watson, he wasn’t always reliable.

For example, the way he was now avoiding eye contact and had resumed his course, headed for the road. Nigel wasn’t allowed on the road. Ingrid, with a book in hand called Training Even the Dumbest Dog, had spent hours with Nigel, teaching him not to leave the property, rewarding his eventual success with a pig-out of Hebrew Nationals, his hot dog of choice.

Nigel paused at the edge of the lawn, right forepaw raised in the attitude of one of those clever pointing dogs that understand commands in several languages. Was he remembering those hot dogs, even maybe just a little bit? “Nigel?”

He stepped onto the street, a dainty little movement—like Zero Mostel in the Producers movie, one of Ingrid’s favorites—that still surprised her and always meant no good. The next moment he was picking up the pace, pushing himself into that waddling trot, his top speed.

“Nigel!”

Ingrid dropped her backpack, hurried after him. Nigel tried to go faster—she could tell from the furious way his scruffy tail was wagging, slowing him down if anything. He reached the other side of Maple Lane, sniffed at the Grunellos’ grass, and then made a beeline for the stone angel birdbath that stood by their front door.

“Don’t you dare,” said Ingrid, running across the lawn.

Too late. Nigel raised his leg against the birdbath. Ingrid grabbed his collar and dragged him away, trailing a golden arc all the way back to the road. Nigel didn’t like the Grunellos, a quiet middle-aged couple who were kind to animals, never bothered anybody, and spent a lot of time away. Like now, please God. At the edge of the driveway he snatched up the Grunellos’ copy of The Echo.

“Put that down.”

But he clung to the rolled-up newspaper with all his might until they were back at the mudroom door. Then he dropped it in a casual sort of way and scrambled inside.

“Kiss those hot dogs good-bye,” Ingrid said. She could hear him panting in the kitchen as though he’d just performed some incredible feat.

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88 Responses to “Sundays With Ingrid: Nigel”

I love Nigel. And he has "performed some incredible feat." Nigel conquered the bird bath. He'd probably been thinking about it for days. Okay, maybe seconds!

I looked up the Battle of the Coral Sea. Even though we lost more ships, it was a turn around in the war. Until that point Japan navy was thought to be invincible.

Melanie's wish: I want a connection to the internet in my brain, so I can look things up immediately (thus lessening the probability that I will forget what I'm looking up up by the time I reach the computer). I still want old fashion books, where I can write in the margins, dog ear special pages and not care if the dogs drool on them.

The BEST of two worlds.

I also want chlorophyll in my hair. Yes, I would have green hair, but think of all the good things . . . wouldn't have to eat breakfast or lunch, just sit out in the sun for awhile. . . winter might be a bit difficult (especially around here) but there are full spectrum light bulbs!

We love Ingrid and Nigel. Would love a # 4! Nigel and Chet have 1 thing in common (not leaping ability). They both love Hebrew National hot dogs. They are Chet's favorite, and I think Mr.A's

favorite, too, because he mentioned them in another book. Maybe Bullet Point. Mom is not a big hot dog eater, but she had to try some of those since she kept reading about then. And you know what? They really are the best! Hope this doesn't post twice.

Green!… I think Melanie has been up all night feeding puppies, that or she has been smoking something this morning….wheeze!…There was snow in the mountains overnight…grunt!…The Poudre river is getting ready to flood out all over the place…snort!… I’m cold and hungry and now I have to go outside and get wet again…crap!

Gosh that was a great post. I remember reading it, but unfortunately I am someone who just gulps down books. Often I have to go back and read them two or three times before I remember to sip. I love the "Kiss those hotdogs good-bye" line. Five words and yet they speak volumes. Just made me laugh out loud.

~Hey Rio,

I am getting ready for the Rockies at Target Field. I think I will have some popcorn. Heh Heh heh

Gosh that was a great post. I remember reading it, but unfortunately I am someone who just gulps down books. Often I have to go back and read them two or three times before I remember to sip. I love the "Kiss those hotdogs good-bye" line. Five words and yet they speak volumes. Just made me laugh out loud.

~Hey Rio,

I am getting ready for the Rockies at Target Field. I think I will have some popcorn. Heh Heh heh

~Melanie, love the puppy pictures! Keep them coming!

~Wookie! My quilting friend! You are being really nice to those little pups! Those puppies will love having their personal quilts to enjoy on their travels. It will help keep them warm too! Gotta keep them warm.

I am off to work on my nephew's quilt again today. See you all tonight when I catch up. Stay dry out there!

Melanie – Mom and I love your web site and now especially the moth pictures. Mom wanted me to show you our moth picture. It's a Cecropia moth, one of the largest in North America and normally only out at night. This one has one malformed wing and lived its short lifespan on our patio. Mom protected it from the rain.

Mollypop, That moth is beautiful and I'm glad your Mom watched over it. My Mom is like that, too. I have been stuck on a line outside for the last 2 days, because there are 4 baby robins hopping around the yard. For some reason, Mom thought I would chase them, or maybe worse.

Melanie,, H.N. hot dogs are more expensive, and probably have less filler in them. On t.v they advertise "No ifs ands or butts", meaning, I think, that they don't use meat from the hind quarter of the beef, but not sure why that is important.

Dawson: how do you get from breakfast to puppies? Freaking me out here.

Had another crisis last night. Puppy okay. This was a male Irish Spotted one, which I think we'll nickname "Greedy Guts."

Turns out Gracie's milk REALLY came in last night. The pups are used to sucking at a particular rate. They were getting full quicker, except for Greedy Guts who kept drinking until he aspirated. (milk gets in his lungs)

Zoë and I did puppy rescue techniques. Called another breeder friend, she has had this happen before (so have we, but that pup ended up in the hospital in ICU with aspirant pneumonia, that pup is doing fine at 2 1/2 years old). She told us we were doing every thing correctly. Techniques: windmilling, patting his back, rubbing his back, putting him on a hot water bottle and when all else fails, sucking the milk out of his lungs through his nose.

We did all of those and 18 hours later, he has not developed pneumonia!

Little Greedy Guts had us going. Zoë would lose it and I would be the sane one, and then I would lose it and Zoë would be the sane one. BUT, no wheezing, no gasping, so he's fine.

Whew, and bless his little puppy heart. I'm glad he is doing ok. Mom decided she wouldn't be any good at the puppy thing. She holds her breath while reading some of Melanie's posts. We'll be glad when the critical three weeks are over with.

Nigel: chewed up Mister Happy, the teddybear Ingrid sleeps with. (Nigel sleeps in the same bed.) He likes to dig deep holes in the park. "He ambled in his unhurried way, not bothering to sniff the air or chew snow chips or do any other doggy things." He has a stubby tail that droops when he's tired of walking. He has floppy ears. "Suddenly he cringed–Ingrid had never seen him cringe before–then made a little whiny noise and sidled over behind Ingrid." (That is when he sees a character in Into the Dark.) "With surprising quickness Nigel snatched the last egg roll off the table and ran from the room." He likes to drink from the toilet: "'Nigel!' He raised his head, snout dripping, glanced over at her, and went back to what he was doing, stubby tail wagging." Grampy thinks that Nigel is half lab, maybe more.

Melanie, Not sure we really want to know, but how do you suck the milk out thru his nose? Do you use one of those little bulb things for babies?

Mollypop, I think anything with feathers is chasable at the very least. In my opinion, birds should not be allowed to even land in my yard, let alone hop all over it for 2 days. One of those little guys came out of his nest in my pine tree Fri morning, and then sat on the same branch all day. Last night they were hopping around with their birdy mom and dad. I wish they would fly away, so life would get back to normal. I need more exercise.

Melanie and Zoe: You're doing such a great job with all the puppies. Sorry about freaking you out by asking about the puppies right after wondering what was for breakfast. I added the last part right before I hit the submit button in an attempt to elicit another photograph and didn't notice how it sounded. Those puppies are my cyber grand-children and anyone who tried to hurt them would have to go through a very protective adrenaline-ridden god mother.

Nigel!… Oh I am so glad he is in all three books…snort!…What a funny guy. We are reading ‘Down The Rabbit Hole’, but not very quickly, so we have not seen Nigel appear yet…grunt!

Pepper!… Remember my friends best friend the one who has Pepper out on the farm?….snort!…Well, I guess she is in a Tap Dance recital this afternoon….heh!… Someone here can’t wait to see her friend up on stage dancing in a costume with tap shoes on….heh!heh!

Rio, please explain the Walmart Field joke to Stover. Mom won't let me. She says I just need to stay out of you and Alice going at one another over the baseball game, and mind my own business, and just root for the Rockies.

This is going to be very entertaining… Alice and Rio and the Rockies and the Twins. I'll try to stay out of it, hee, hee

The noise at the soccer game yesterday…It was South African Vevezela trumpets. They are "part of the South African experience". We are not the only ones that thought the noise was offputting (actually, it was horrible). Soccer fans all over the world are complaining about it.

Heh!… My friend just came in with all the groceries…Yeah!… She is soakin’ wet and I bet she is pissed off too… snort!… She got all the stuff we need though, even some hotdogs! …woooo!…. All the groceries are wet too! She said “It’s raining Kats and dogs right over the grocery store.”…. grunt!…. Apparently, that means its still pouring down on anyone who attempts to get food… heh!

Okay!… Here is a movie that Stover should never rent (or pay to watch)… snort!… ‘Inglourious Basterds’, so far we are enjoying the heck out of it, but we do not recommend it to our friend Stover….grunt!…I think we are on Chapter 3, but she stopped it to make some supper…sniff!sniff!…Finally, I will get some food!!!… heh!

Stover!… I’m sort of changing my mind on this thing…snort!… It started out a little violent and I thought it might be too much, but now a real story is evolving and I’m thinking it might be right up your alley… wheeze!…But, before I tell you what I really think, I would like to watch the whole thing….grunt!…So far its been like watching a foreign film, because a lot of it is in subtitles – very quick subtitles…crap!

Gracie!…She looked exhausted in that photo on your website Melanie….snort!… A mother’s work is never done… sigh… Well, I think I am learning German and a bit of French while watching this movie tonight….heh!

Crap!…We were missing the Tony Awards watching that stupid movie!…groan!…This rain is messing with our heads… gasp!… I hope they re-run this show at some point, sob!..We love watching the Tony Awards… sniff!…They are usually in English..

Movie!… There was one small part where I laughed out loud for quite a while…snort!.. It was when someone from Tennessee was pretending to be from Italy, and he was saying Italian words with a Tennessee accent in hopes of throwing off a German detective… heh! … Now, that was funny!….HA!

Alice!…All your double-talk and re-sending of posts doesn’t change the fact that The Rockies are going to Kick-Yer-Butt right out of Walmart Field…heh!..Can’t Wait for the game to begin!…snort! … Sie sind Zwillinge sind dabei, getrennt zu werden! …-Schnauben!

I'm watching Extreme Poodles. It's about grooming competition. Rio and Siber H. would not like it. I don't think Mollypop, Molly and Jasper would either but these groomers say their poodles love to be dyed and groomed. Hmmmm.